Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja has assured residents of Nairobi who were recently displaced by floods that the government will resettle them.
Sakaja said that Nairobi County is working with President William Ruto and the National government on the resettlement and cautioned the affected people against going back to the areas they came from.
“I am urging the affected people, do not go back where you came from, where our houses have been washed away by the flood waters,” he warned.
The Governor was speaking during the 59th Labour Day Celebrations that were marked at Uhuru Gardens where the Head of State led Kenyan workers to commemorate the occasion.
He said the county government evacuated residents of Kangemi Dam to prevent a crisis like the one that happened in Mai Mahiu on Tuesday this week.
“We have sent Water Resource Management Authority to Nairobi Dam to look at it, we might even need to evacuate others,” said Sakaja, adding “we might need to consider again what we do with our schools.”
Sakaja said the floods disaster that has affected the country will make the public appreciate more the need for affordable housing in Nairobi as tenants would not now want to reside in flood areas where they pay Sh2000 to 3,000.
“We support the President and will work with him to make sure the affordable housing is implemented,” he said.
The Governor announced that the County government has agreed with leaders from the county among them the Senator, Members of Parliament and the government administration that people who were residing in riparian areas should not go back, adding that they will secure the riparian land order to save peoples’ lives.
“We spoke to wananchi and they agreed that they will not go back to settle there,” he said.
He at the same time thanked the multi-agency team for working with the county government to save lives of the affected during this time of flood disaster.
“I recognise one category of workers the 3,500 youths of the Green Army who have been unclogging drainages and removing dirt on the roads,” Sakaja said.
He said if the youths were not working on the drainages the effects of the rain would have been worse with the quantity of water that has made the rivers in Nairobi to swell and those along the slum areas.
Sakaja said the County government has started the reconstruction of the 12 bridges that were destroyed by floods to ensure that children can cross over and go to school.
The Governor said Nairobi has challenges as a result of the eight rivers which include Ngong, Mathare and Nairobi River which have burst their banks following the on-going heavy rains.
“Last Tuesday night, I was at Viwandani where people slept on roofs. I have also been at Kwa Reuben, Kawangware, Mathare, Ruaraka, Utalii, Mabatini where houses were washed by floods,” he stated.
Sakaja said he visited Mwiki, Mathare North, Eastleigh and Kiambiu where he issued the affected families with food.
He at the same time called upon the striking doctors to resume work, noting that at least 80 percent of doctors in Nairobi are working, adding that there is no issue that cannot be resolved through negotiation.
By Bernadette Khaduli
